Crime & Safety in Petersburg, VA
Violent and property crime rates, clearance data, and trends — 2024 Data
Crime Overview
Source: FBI Crime Data Explorer (2024)Violent Crime Rate
10.44
per 1,000 residents
+133% vs national
Property Crime Rate
28.89
per 1,000 residents
+33% vs national
Total Crimes
1,319
2024
Violent Clearance
41%
cases solved
-2% vs national
Property Clearance
18%
cases solved
vs Similar Cities
+273%
vs 25K-50K avg
+273% vs 25K-50K
YoY Change
+50.3%
violent crime rate
worsening vs 2023
How Petersburg Compares
Source: FBI (2024)Petersburg vs Similar Cities
Source: FBI (2024)Compared to cities with 25,000 - 50,000 residents. Petersburg is highlighted in green.
Violent Crime Rate (per 1,000)
Property Crime Rate (per 1,000)
Murder Rate (per 1,000)
Violent Crime Clearance Rate
Crime Rate Trends
Source: FBICrime Composition
Source: FBI (2024)Violent Crime Breakdown
Property Crime Breakdown
Crime Clearance (Solve) Rates
Source: FBI (2024)Petersburg police solve 53% of murder cases but only 11% of motor vehicle theft cases. The national violent crime clearance rate is 42%.
Weapon Used in Violent Crime
Source: FBI (2024)Crime Breakdown
Source: FBI Crime Data Explorer (2024)| Crime Type | Category | Count | Rate per 1K | Clearance % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Murder | Violent | 15 | 0.45 | 53.3% |
| Rape | Violent | 21 | 0.63 | 19.0% |
| Robbery | Violent | 33 | 0.98 | 30.3% |
| Aggravated Assault | Violent | 281 | 8.38 | 43.8% |
| Burglary | Property | 96 | 2.86 | 12.5% |
| Larceny/Theft | Property | 733 | 21.86 | 20.6% |
| Motor Vehicle Theft | Property | 140 | 4.17 | 10.7% |
Petersburg, VA reported 350 violent crimes and 969 property crimes in 2024. The violent crime rate of 10.44 per 1,000 residents is 132.9% above the national average of 4.48 per 1,000. Law enforcement cleared 41% of violent crimes. Larceny/theft accounts for 733 of the property crime reports. Firearms were involved in 58.4% of aggravated assaults. Compared to similarly sized cities (25,000 - 50,000 population), Petersburg's violent crime rate is 273% higher. Violent crime has been trending upward.
Crime History
Source: FBI| Year | Violent | Property | Violent Rate | Property Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 350 | 969 | 10.44 | 28.89 |
| 2023 | 232 | 1,130 | 6.94 | 33.81 |
| 2022 | 276 | 871 | 8.23 | 25.96 |
| 2021 | 237 | 736 | 7.84 | 24.36 |
| 2020 | 232 | 864 | 7.44 | 27.70 |
| 2019 | 235 | 1,034 | 7.51 | 33.06 |
| 2018 | 224 | 918 | 7.10 | 29.08 |
| 2017 | 254 | 1,098 | 8.00 | 34.59 |
| 2016 | 241 | 1,073 | 7.46 | 33.23 |
| 2015 | 264 | 1,000 | 8.09 | 30.63 |